The people in the room were three servants, excluding the elderly couple who came and went for work.

“What are you doing?”

As Aelfrie spoke coldly, they exchanged glances. They seemed to be pondering how to handle the situation.

“Leave the room immediately. And when Father returns, admit your mistake…”

“Are you mad? Then that man would just leave us be.”

“…!”

The sitting servant stood up, spat on the floor, and spoke.

Aelfrie felt fear at the utter lack of the courtesy they usually maintained, even if poorly executed.

But she couldn’t just back down here.

“I’ll say it again. Return to your posts right now. I’ll let it go if you do. Otherwise, I have no choice but to fire you.”

“Fire us? What a joke.”

The servant strode forward, clenching his fist and making a threatening sound.

“Do you think there’s nowhere else for us to work? We’re staying because we have some loyalty for this crappy employer, and you talk about firing? Hey, when the master comes back, do you think he’ll believe you or us?”

“… ”

Aelfrie couldn’t respond to the servant’s threat. Not because she didn’t know, but because she knew the answer all too well.

While Aelfrie couldn’t respond, the maid in the room noticed an earring left on the vanity.

Elise and the maid had left in a hurry without properly tidying up.

The maid sneakily pocketed the earring, but Aelfrie saw her do it.

“Give it back!”

“What? Give what back… let go!”

Caught red-handed, the maid violently shoved Aelfrie.

Her body, already frail and underfed, was easily pushed back and she fell. Then a lamp that the servants had set on the floor fell over.

The oil inside the lamp spilled onto the carpet, and flames erupted immediately.

The startled servants stepped back. The sudden flames caught onto Elise’s clothes.

“Water! Get water!”

The servants shouted in confusion and ran outside. Meanwhile, the fire spread further.

Aelfrie rose, looked around, grabbed the blanket that was still on Elise’s bed, and used it to smother the flames on the carpet.

“Cough!”

As she smothered the flames, acrid smoke billowed up.

Aelfrie covered her mouth and nose with her arm and held onto the blanket.

After a moment, once she confirmed that the fire beneath the carpet was completely extinguished, Aelfrie removed the blanket.

“Whew… whew…”
Smoke and scent lingering, Aelfrie approached the window and exhaled the breath she’d been holding.

Only then did the servants come up with water cans. The amount was hardly enough for a single use.

Seeing the extinguished fire, they carefully backed away.

Realizing their folly upon sobering up, one maid threw down the earrings she had pocketed and the shawl draped over her shoulder, shouting.

“I didn’t take anything! And this house, I quit first!”

She quickly turned and descended. The remaining servants looked at each other, then yelled.

“It’s your fault for falling and starting the fire, not mine!”

“Exactly! And this miserly house, I planned to quit anyway! We’re going to the mansion of Ash Trading. What was it? Ah, yes, Oltvea Mansion! I have a friend who can get us in!”

The servants shouted at the soot-covered Aelfrie and hurriedly descended.

As they were coming up, Jenna, who had woken up late due to hard labor, descended.

Ignoring the servants she bumped into, Jenna rushed to Elize’s room upon smelling the harsh scent.

“Miss!”

Jenna hurriedly supported the disheveled Aelfrie, who was as miserable as the room.

“I’m fine. Now, quickly…”

“What do you mean fine!”

Jenna shone a lamp on Aelfrie’s arm.

When had she injured herself? Signs of burns with blisters already formed were visible.

Jenna quickly pulled Aelfrie out of the ruined room.

In the corridor where dawn light lingered, Aelfrie looked even more miserable.

Soot-stained and with a harsh scent clinging, and traces of burns here and there.

This was not the time to worry about the missing servants. Jenna immediately took Aelfrie to the kitchen, washed her wounds with clean water, then went up to fetch a change of clothes.

The sun began to illuminate the horizon as summer approached. When the first rays of morning light ascended, Jenna and Aelfrie gazed at Elize’s room and sighed.

“What do we do…”

Jenna muttered in despair, her voice and the state of the room making Aelfrie’s vision darken.

Burn marks everywhere, undoubtedly ruined carpet and Elize’s clothes, and furniture as well.

What would Mr. and Mrs. Jark and Elize say when they saw this?

In the morning, Aelfrie tidied Elize’s room with the help of elderly servants. She set aside items that could be salvaged with some washing, but not much was left.

Aelfrie sent another letter to the Count with a feeling as if her breath would be choked by fear.

The house caught fire, and Elize’s room suffered major damage. Of course, she also wrote about the servants who had quit.

A week later, a reply from the Count finally arrived, contrasting the previous silence. Aelfrie read the Count’s reply with trembling hands.

And after a long moment, she placed the letter on the table.